7 ways you can advance global mission

In September, I was selected to participate in the fourth Lausanne Global Congress in South Korea. More than 5,000 people from over 200 nations spanning multiple generations came together to collaborate on advancing global mission. Over the last two months, I have been reflecting on the content shared at the Global Congress. There is so much I could share, but here are a few reflections I took away: 

1. Intergenerational leadership is key to reaching the next generation 

Right now, only 3.9 per cent of 21-25-year-olds in the UK identify as Christians. Fewer people identify as Christians, while more identify as non-religious and spiritual. If the decline in Christianity continues, we will see the reversal of the First, Second, and Third Great Awakenings by 2050. Reaching the next generation takes the efforts of all generations, not just one. Younger people should be afforded space to lead considering they know how to reach and engage with their generation. At the same time, leaders from the older generations need to step into coaching, mentoring and spiritual parenting roles to encourage and support younger leaders. This creates spaces for mutual learning, understanding, growth, and collaboration.

2. We need to mobilise the 99 per cent of congregation members in their workplace 

Only 1 per cent of individuals will assume a church leadership position, while everyone else will participate in attending church services. The global church has emphasised the work of church leaders above the congregation, and as a result, many people have struggled to integrate their faith into their daily lives.  

33 per cent of the world’s population is now in the workplace; if we are to advance global mission, we need to shift the emphasis from people attending and growing the church to church leaders equipping and commissioning the congregation to reach people in their workplaces.

3. We need to engage in digital discipleship in the digital age 

As the world shifts towards the digital age, we must adapt our approach to evangelism and discipleship by engaging with them digitally. As more people move to online platforms to connect with others, we need to meet people where they are. Using digital tools to reach, engage, and disciple people to maturing their faith will be key to the future of global mission.  

4. Persecution grows the Church, but compromise weakens the Church 

Where there is persecution, the church grows, but where there is compromise, the church dies. Iran, one of the most persecuted countries in the world, has one of the fastest-growing churches globally because of their uncompromising, bold conviction of the Gospel’s truth.  

If anything, the persecution should hinder their witness, yet we see it growing stronger. Simultaneously, where the gospel has been compromised, the Church has declined rapidly. The global church must continue to preach the gospel without compromise and with bold conviction.  

5. Justice is the prophetic witness of the Church

When the Church is silent in truth-telling, it compromises its witness. Though speaking up is costly, the church must start speaking up against injustice. This involves creating safe spaces for listening and questioning presumed positions to pursue unity and publicly calling out injustice where it is present.  

Justice also involves reconciling broken relationships, which includes accountability, repairing what is broken and restoring dignity. Engaging in justice will strengthen the church’s gospel witness. 

6. Discipleship needs to be the renewed priority of the Church 

The Great Commission calls for Christians to make disciples. However, the global church has emphasised conversion above discipleship in their evangelistic efforts. We have been great at bringing people into the church but neglect the priority of developing and maturing people in their faith. The global church needs to renew its priority of discipleship. Discipleship must be intentional, digitally and in person, and focus on maturing disciples who disciple others. This will increase the growth of the global church as more people commit to whole-life discipleship.

We must also return to using homes as part of the church’s missional engagement. An example of an American church attributed their rapid church growth to using house churches as their model for 13 years before gathering in a church building. If we want to see the church grow, homes are key spaces to disciple people as they grow in their faith. 

7. We must declare and display Christ together 

The Church’s declaration of the Gospel will be most effective when the Church displays the Gospel. The rapid growth of churches in South Korea came not by gospel proclamation alone but through meeting practical needs and caring for an individual’s whole being. 

We must also prefer collaboration over silos. Advancing global missions will not be due to the strength of one individual or one church but all, and everyone has a part to play. The Lausanne Movement could have become an institution, but it chose to remain a global movement to preserve the culture of collaboration. This has strengthened the global church’s mission and evangelism work over the last 50 years as global movements and ministries have been birthed following previous Global Congress gatherings. 

Overall, the Global Congress was an incredible experience that will always stay with me. The experience deepened my understanding of global perspectives and the greatest priorities for advancing global mission. I also gained a renewed passion for reaching the next generation through fostering spaces for intergenerational leadership.